350 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. playing at bowls on a Saturday, among papists and profane gentlemen, at Rochdale in Lancashire, Mr. Midgley, the grave and pious vicar of the place, came upon the green; and, calling him on one side, expressed his great regret that he was the companion ofpapists, even on a Saturday, when he ought to have been preparing for the exercises of the sabbath : but Mr. Rothwell slighted what he said, and checked him for intermeddling. The good old man, being exceedingly grieved, went home, retired into his study, and prayed earnestly to God for him. Mr. Rothwell had no 'Sooner left the bowling-green than Mr. Midgley's words stuck fast in his conscience. He could find no rest. The day following he went to hear Mr. Midgley preach in Rochdale church, when it pleased God to to bless the word, that he was thoroughly awakened to a sense of his sins. Under his painful convictions he went to Mr. Midg- ley after sermon, thanked him for his seasonable reproof, and desired his further instruction, with an interest in his prayers. Having continued under spiritual bondage for some time, he at length, by the instrumentality of Mr. Midgley, was made partaker of the liberty of the sons of God ; the assurance of which he retained to -the end of his days. Though he was often exercised by the severe assaults of Satan, his heavenly Father, in whom he trusted,- always made a way for his escape. This important change being effected, Mr. Rothwell gave his worldly estates among his friends, and devoted himself wholly to the ministry of the word, ever esteeming Mr. Midgley as hit spiritual father.. Mr. Rothwell, having tasted that the Lord was gracious, began to preach the gospel by the assistance of the Holy Ghost. He so unfolded the depths of Satan's devices, and the treachery of the, human heart, that he was soon deno- minated the rough hewer. His zealous and faithful ministry was accompanied by the power and blessing of God. When be preached the terrors of the law, sinners trembled, and sometimes cried aloud; andwhen he preached the glad tidings of the gospel, sweet consolation was applied to their afflicted consciences. He was chaplain to a regiment under the Earl' of Essex, in his expedition against the rebels in Ireland. About the same time, he was induced to examine, with an unbiassed mind, the grounds of conformity to the established church. The result of his impartial investigation was, he became an * Clark's Lives annexed to his Martyrologie, p. 67, 68.
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